Services

PHOEBE PETERS has returned from the FEI Pony European Championships at Millstreet in Ireland with two silver medals.

The 14-year-old from Moreton-in-Marsh helped Great Britain’s Pony Dressage Team to a silver and than bounced back from disappointment in the individual event, in which she was reigning champion, to take silver in the individual freestyle on her mount SL Lucci.

There was also a surprise individual bronze for 14-year-old Team GB debutante Alex Hellings riding Der Kleine Lord.

The team of Rebecca Bell (Valido’s Sunshine), Hellings, Bethany-Rose Horobin (Gigolo) and Peters arrived full of expectation with Phoebe and Rebecca having helped win a team bronze medal at the 2013 championship in Italy.

Four fantastic performances from all the riders with plus 70 per cent scores – a record by British riders and including personal bests for Rebecca and Alex – pushed Britain one place further up the podium this time as they lost out to Germany by just three per cent.

In the individual competition, Phoebe, who was last year’s double gold medallist, had an early stumble on SL Lucci although she recovered to post a creditable 72.171 per cent which gave her 10th spot.

In the final competition, the Freestyle, Germany’s Semmieke Rothenberger proved unbeatable but a stunning 78.7 per cent from Phoebe and ‘Lucci’ secured individual silver.

Team trainer Peter Storr said: “Team silver was an amazing result and we were oh so close to gold.

"To have four riders all score over 70 per cent is a huge achievement and having the German and Dutch teams come to watch us as they felt threatened was testament to everyone’s hard work.

"I received a number of compliments from other nations on the way of our riders rode with real feeling and harmony.

“Alex was a star on her debut, Rebecca upped her performance from last year, Bethany was a model of consistency and Phoebe proved what a professional she is at such an early stage in her career; I’m just thrilled with them all”

Ipsoregulated

This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's Editors' Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then please contact the editor here. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can contact IPSO here